Liberal MP Shaun Chen faced accusations of voting on House legislation while in China, sparking online controversy following his announcement to resign from his seat in the House of Commons. The claims, fueled by right-wing influencers and some current and former Conservative MPs, centered on videos shared on WeChat showing Chen in China matching voting records on the same day. Concerns were raised about potential breaches of national security if Chen voted remotely from China, with references made to House rules barring MPs from voting outside Canada.
House procedures strictly prohibit members of Parliament from casting votes while abroad, emphasizing that electronic votes are only permitted within Canada. The rules mandate visual confirmation of a member’s identity through facial recognition technology when recording votes via an app. The House Speaker’s office assured that stringent technical and human validation processes are in place to ensure MPs are physically present in the country during voting sessions.
Chen’s office clarified that he was in China from March 14 to March 22, providing evidence such as a boarding pass and visa stamps in his passport to support his return to Canada on March 23 for parliamentary duties. The office emphasized that Chen did not vote from outside Canada, attributing his resignation to health issues affecting his ability to travel frequently to Ottawa. Chen’s sole recent trip to China was undertaken for parliamentary purposes with the Canada-China Legislative Association.
Critics, including journalist Andy Lee, questioned Chen’s ability to travel to China amid health concerns preventing regular travel to Ottawa. The trip to China was organized by the Hakka Canadian Association, chaired by Markham Coun. Joe Li, to foster relationships within the Hakka ethnic community in Canada. Correspondence between Chen and House of Commons IT staff highlighted cybersecurity precautions taken during his trip, which was disclosed publicly by the Office of Canada’s Conflict of Interest and Ethics Commissioner.